Transcript of today's Blue Jackets online chat

Tuesday

Mar 29, 2011 at 12:01 AMMar 29, 2011 at 4:58 PM

Each week during the NHL season, Dispatch.com and BlueJacketsXtra.com readers can chat online with either Aaron Portzline or Tom Reed, The Dispatch's Blue Jackets beat writers. Here's a transcript of today's chat with Aaron.

Each week during the NHL season, Dispatch.com and BlueJacketsXtra.com readers can chat online with either Aaron Portzline or Tom Reed, The Dispatch's Blue Jackets beat writers. Here's a transcript of today's chat with Aaron:

[Rob_(moderator)] Welcome to this week's Blue Jackets/NHL chat. You can start sending your questions for Aaron Portzline, who will join us at noon. Thanks.

[Rob_(moderator)] Chat starts now ...

[Howsen's Hot Seat] If Jim Day get "reassigned" for using the word "dissapointing", will Arneil get the hook for calling this season a "mess"?

[Portzline] Ahhh. Good question. Not sure the guys who measure and inspect every broadcast word or thought have control over Arniel, but that was a strong quote.

[BJFan1] If you could pick one FA that will be available this summer to improve the CBJ, that they should do everything they can to get, who would it be and why?

[Portzline] Hmm. IF we're shooting for the moon, give me Ilya Bryzgalov, the Phoenix goaltender. He is a proven, consistent winner in his prime, a guy who can carry a lesser team to the playoffs, as he's shown the last couple of seasons. He's going to cost $6 million per year, but he would be a big help.

[aerophemera] Would you think the Jackets management will be most active on pre-draft trades, draft-day deals or will they be content to build primarily through free agency?

[Portzline] A little of both, or perhaps I should say a lot of both. They're going to have lots of guys moving on through free agency, so that clears roster spots that can be replaced with free agents or from within. But they want to do deals, too. I'll be surprised if they don't trade the No. 1 pick this year. Shocked, actually.

[ToneBloke] what's up with the goalie situation? mason or garon tonight?

[Portzline] Mason in goal tongiht. I would thing he gets five of the final six games after tonight, too.

[cbs] Any thoughts on what the plans are for the defensemen next year? THere are only 2 under contract and I get the feeling changes are planned but how much? I guess I would prefer bringing one top-notch defensemen to the roster instead of several average defensemen.

[Portzline] Yes, that would be the plan, to be top-notch guys rather than pluggers and "hopeful" players. The Blue Jackets will have to decide if any of their young prospects are ready to step right in and play. I would assume they try to keep Clitsome. So, three or four spots will be open. Do they bring back Hejda? Good question. I get the sense that he's moving on, but we shall see. The long-awaited shake-up on the back-end, it would appear, is finally here. It will be interesting to see how this goes.

[nak21] Has the organization ever thought to find new scouts? We seem to miss the boat on some great players i.e. Kopitar, Stewart, Couture.

[Portzline] Howson had the authority to clean house when he took over, but after talking with the scouts and studying their work and backgrounds, he decide to retain most of them. You'd have to say, based on the last few years, that the Blue Jackets have drafted pretty well. They've got a lot of picks in the lineup now. Yes, they missed on Kopitar, but -- as we've reported numerous times -- the top name on the board when it came time to pick was Kopitar, and the scouts were overruled by a well-dressed former executive who wanted to take Gilbert Brule. In a word ... ouch.

[bluline] Do we now have 3 positions we need to be concerned about for next season? Namely, a top defensiveman, center and goalie?

[Portzline] Yes, I think so. You can bet that Nash, Umberger and Ryan Johansen are going to be Blue Jackets next season. Otherwise, it's less than guaranteed. There is the potential for great movement this summer. If Howson is retained -- and all signs point that he will be -- this will be his ultimate test.

[Section 105] I wonder, you have been on record stating you expect Howson to make major changes to this team in the off-season. Is this your logical, informed opinion, or have sources within the organization actually told you, Arace or Reed this?

[Portzline] It's both. The fact that there are so many UFAs is always a clear sign that change is coming. But, yes, this is informed from talks with many sources.

[Dutchman] Arniel has been pretty outspoken...Do you think he has a "chopping block" list of players for Howson?

[Portzline] Obviously, Howson and Arniel talk a lot about the club and the situation. They would share their feelings with each other on certain players, and they would reach a consensus as to which players should or shouldn't be back. BUt it's not entirely up to the coach. Or at least it shouldn't be.

[BJFan1] If we don't sign a #1 goaltender in the off-season, who is the 2nd goalie? resign Garon or one of the AHL boys?

[Portzline] Of the two options, Garon is the more likely, but I don't think he's even likely. I think they want to bring in a No. 2 who has a real clear chance of pushing the No. 1, rather that No. 1 is Steve Mason, Cory Schneider or somebody else. I think they want real competition in that position, and it's not here right now.

[Cobra_Comm@nder] Answer me this...Do you think Florida will be blowing up their roster again? I ask because Stephen Weiss (C), their leading scorer, should be a prime trade target for our #1 center need. Is he a Sid-the-Kid superstar? No. But he's been a consistent "higher end" performer on lousy Panthers team. Place him next to a player like Nash and the two of them could really blossom. His age, contract, and salary also all seem to be right where we want them. Your thoughts?

[Portzline] Hmm. I don't mind Weiss, but to me he's Derick Brassard, only two or three years older. In my mind, Weiss is not a No. 1. I like him as a No. 2, just as I like Brassard as a No. 2.

[Kyle] There are several RPI fans here that I know want to know the answer: Did the Blue Jackets sign Allen York?

[Portzline] Yes. They signed him to a two-year, entry-level contract. You should follow on twitter (@aportzline or @treeddispatch) and you'd have known this for sure around 9:30 a.m.

[Section 105] Does making drastic changes to the roster hurt Howson's credibility with ownership and management? After all, he said his plan from Day 1 was to build through the draft. Last off-season he stuck with his roster, and even went on record saying he was happy with his defensive corps. If he makes major changes, then does this "delay" his plan and is it admitting his plan isn't working well enough?

[Portzline] For sure it is. But the No. 1 goal of any GM should be to win, not to make himself look good. Howson does not have that kind of pride, either. GMs make mistakes, that's the bottom line. It's a mistake business. 29 teams will fail to win the Stanley Cup this season, right? So, yes, if he blows up the roster -- beginning with the young players -- it will be affirmation that he's made mistakes. Better to do that than keep charging in the wrong direction, right?

[phishstu] is methot coming back?

[Portzline] He's an RFA. I would think they attempt to bring him back. But I wouldn't guarantee it. As noted earlier, it's all up in the air. You'll recall the two sides came close to arbitration a couple of seasons ago.

[bob141] Matt Calvert and Cam Atkinson.... apparently same size and style of play. Is that right? Is there space on the team for two mighty mites?

[Portzline] I get the sense that Atkinson is more of a sniper than Calvert, where Calvert is a gritty, grindy guy who scores because of his great effort. Size is important, sure. But I'll find space for a guy who has scored 59 goals the last two seasons at a big-time college hockey program like Boston College. It will be interesting to see the kid play in Springfield, to see how close he is.

[Lee S.] Chances of CBJ bidding for Bryzgalov?

[Portzline] Very little. My guess is he's $6 million a year. THat's a big ticket.

[Ryan31] Ryan Johansen is a stud. I mean STUD. His numbers this year are crazy. But what makes you so sure he will be with the CBJ next season? I would think they want to baby him like our other prospects, no?

[Portzline] He'll be too young to play in the AHL next season, and I don't think the organization thinks that him returning to the Western Hockey League would be beneficial. His game is big-time, and playing back in Portland doesn't help him get better. I bet its 80-20 he's in Columbus.

[BJFan1] Are the 3rd jersey's done after this season???

[Portzline] No way. As long as they're selling the sweaters, they'll be promoting them.

[cb2112] Thougts on Voracheck..he seems to have all the tools to be a beast in this league, but continues to struggle...how long do you give him and at what point is his trade value so dimminshed it might make sense to move him sooner than later...

[Portzline] Still a young guy, and I wouldn't give up. But he can be aggravating to watch, with all the turnovers, and you'd like to see him get past that stage in his game. This season has not brought about the maturation and progress you'd like to see. But some things you can't hurry.

[Section 105] How long can this ownership hold on in the face of shrinking fan support? Do you see the team reaching a critical stage in the next 0ne to three seasons?

[Portzline] I think they're there now. If you think attendance dropped this season, look out. It's an agitated fan base right now, and they have a right to be. It's just like this in Minnesota, by the way, and they've had a lot more success than have the Blue Jackets.

[bob141] WIll the CBJ likely move Huselius before the fall?

[Portzline] They will try. Could happen. Wouldn't bank on it. The salary is high, but only one year remains. We shall see.

[Ryan31] You said you would be shocked if they CBJ didn't trade their first round pick. From all accounts, this is a below average draft class. So who would want our pick, and what would we be asking?

[Portzline] Well, it's going to be a pretty good pick, sadly. Yes, the draft class is down this year, but two points to keep in mind: typically, the draft gets better and better as the draft draws nearer (scouts get really excited), and all it takes is one team to really like one player who's still on the board. If it's a top 10 pick, it still has plenty of worth.

[Section 105] Would a #1 center and a #1 defenseman make this team a true contender, or just one of the pack in the 5-10 range?

[Portzline] Not sure what you mean by a 5-10 range. I think the Blue Jackets are two or three significant players away: a consistently good goaltender, another heart-and-soul top six player (Umberger type) and a 28-minute defenseman who can patrol the back. That's all.

[Lee S.] Can we get some preseason games in Cincinnati and Cleveland to expand the fanbase? (I know I ask this EVERY year)

[Portzline] If it were up to me, I'd do it in a minute. I can't tell you the number of people I've met from Cincinnati who have never heard of the Blue Jackets. Can't believe they're in the NHL, and in Columbus. Rough.

[alruedrich] Which Jackets prospect are you most excited to see play in Columbus in the future?

[Portzline] Johansen, and it's not even close. You should hear the way scouts around the NHL talk about this kid. It's pretty wild.

[Veebs] Never noticed visors much til you wrote about Malhotra injury. Now I'm surprised at how many players are not wearing them. Is that just a macho hockey-player thing?

[Portzline] It is, yes. And as Moreau put it, there's really no logical explanation for why they don't. It's generational. I grew up never wearing a seatbelt, and now it's the norm. If you wore a helmet on a bike in my neighborhood growing up, you'd never hear the end of the it. Now, it's just a given. I'm amazed that none of the Canucks -- Malhotra's teammates -- put visors on after the injury.

[user] any word on how Manny's surgery is going/went today? And does anyone else in CBJ land find it remarkable that the loss of Manny Malhotra is being described as a significant blow to the Canucks Stanley Cup chances

[Portzline] No word. Lots of people hoping and praying for the best Malhotra. Yes, Manny's role was clearly established when he arrived Vancouver, and he's filled it well. It's a much different situation than he was in here in Columbus, where he filled many roles on and off the ice.

[CBJfromPA] Do you think Arniel will sit of the players who aren't delivering to give his young guys some practice before next season. An early training camp of sorts.

[Portzline] Yes, I would suspect we'll see the prospects come up for late-season tryouts. ANd really, why not?

[Lee S.] Is the NHL's process of on-boarding expansion teams broken? Look at the current situations of ATL, CBJ, MIN, FLA

[Portzline] THat's too easy. Why not look at Nashville? San Jose? Anaheim? There are just as many success stories ... on the ice, anyway.

[Rob_(moderator)] Thanks, everyone. Dispatch.com and BlueJacketsXtra.com has a transcript of the chat for you to read again and again and again. Enjoy. That's a wrap.

[Portzline] Thanks for the questions. Have great weeks.

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